Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. It does a lot of great things out of the box, but it isn’t perfect. These are five ways you can make your Windows system look and function better.
1. Add Desktop Integration Software
Dekstop integration software packages, such as OneLaunch Chromium, add features to your Windows desktop that don’t come standard with the operating system. Examples of added features include one-click browser access, shortcuts, and apps. This is a good option for people who want more features, but don’t want to tinker with Windows settings on their own.
2. Change Your Lock Screen and Wallpaper
You can easily refresh the look of your Windows system by changing the lock screen background and wallpaper. Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows button and the “I” key at the same time. Navigate to the Personalization section and click on the Background tab. Choose Picture from the dropdown box to select a single image from your PC. If you don’t already have an image you want to use, you can find wallpaper images on the internet. Alternatively, you can choose the Slideshow option and pick a folder with multiple images on your computer. You can similarly change your lock screen by navigating to the Lock screen tab.
3. Change Your Start Menu
The default Windows Start Menu may not be organized in a way that makes it easy to find the apps you use the most. You can declutter your Start Menu by deleting tiles and apps that you don’t use. Remove tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting Unpin from Start. You can remove an entire group of tiles by right-clicking on the group and then choosing Unpin group from Start. Next, drag the apps that you use most from the list area to the tile area on the right. You may also want to remove any bloatware installed on your computer.
4. Customize Your Windows Sounds
If you’re not crazy about the default Windows sounds or would just like to make them more interesting, you can change them. First, go to Settings>System>Sound and then click the Sound Control Panel link to the right. Click on the Sounds tab. Choose an event that you want to change the sound for. Highlight the event and then pick a new sound from the dropdown menu. You can select one of the sounds that came with Windows or choose a different sound from your computer. If you select your own sound, it must be in WAV format.
5. Organize Your Desktop
If you have a lot of apps installed on your computer or are in the habit of saving things to your desktop, your desktop can get pretty cluttered. To clean it up, you can hide icons you don’t use, delete or move files and delete or sort shortcuts.
It takes a bit of work, but cleaning up, customizing, and organizing your Windows computer can make your desktop environment more pleasant to work with. These are just a few of the ways you can enhance your Windows experience.